Monmouth County's Ask The Doctor September/October 2019

H E A L T H A R T I C L E S A N D Q & A

Did you know that falls are the most common cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries in the elderly? And colder weather brings sluggish joints and less blood flow to the body and the brain. This leads to slower reaction times and more unsteadiness. 1 out of 4 people aged over 65 falls every year. Over 3 million injuries are treated annually in the ER. Over 55 billion dollars are spent on treating the elderly due to falls, of which Medicare and Medicaid shoulder 75% of the cost. Not only is the fall a disastrous event, the after effects of depression, physical decline, feeling of helplessness, and isolation all are very common. This also leads to increased stress for the family or immediate caretaker.

Your podiatrist, Dr. Sanjay Gandhi , is an active participant in the National Fall Prevention Program. This includes a podiatric and gait examination to check for risk factors of falling. If you qualify, you are entitled to balance braces that keep your legs from “wobbling” or “teetering”. You also may be able to get free shoes that provide the proper support and grip to maintain ground reactivity. Preventing falls is essential to keeping those minor bumps and bruises away, but also to preventing major head injuries that can cause bleeding and sometimes permanent damage. If you are over 65, and feeling even the slightest bit unsteady, get screened properly today! You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. A Step Up Podiatry

Dr. Sanjay Gandhi, DPM Our Specialty Services For Adults, Children & Seniors Bunions Children Corns & Callouses Diabetic Foot Care Flatfeet Fungus HammerToeTreatment Heel Pain InGrownToeNails Plantar FasciitisTreatment Plantar Warts Orthotics and Surgery

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Landmark Autism CARES Act Passes House Smith’s Bill Provides over $1.8B for NIH, CDC & HRSA autism programs

Bipartisan, bicameral legislation to powerfully support and aggressively pursue durable remedies and effective interven- tions for the 1.5 million children with autism was approved unanimously by the U.S. House of Representatives. Authored by Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), with chief Demo- crat cosponsor, Rep. Mike Doyle (PA-14), The Autism CARES Act of 2019 provides slightly more than $1.8 billion over five years “for America’s whole-of-government Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) initiative” lead by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

Smith’s bill also helps adults with autism who he said are “are often misdiagnosed, underdiagnosed and overlooked. Lan- guage throughout the bill emphasizes that causes, diagnosis, detection, prevention and treatment of autism spectrum dis- order (ASD) must be throughout the lifespan of a person. According to Drexel University’s AJ Drexel Autism Center, about fifty to sixty thousand children “age out” to adulthood each year creating challenges for education, housing, employment and access to health care,” he said. Smith thanked the more than 35 non-governmental organizations that have endorsed his legislation and called on the Senate for speedy passage.

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